Unlimited Possibilities of 3D Printing Open Up

For people not actively interested in cutting-edge technologies it is still hard to grasp that printing of such real-life objects as sneakers, car engines, residential houses or even human body tissues is not science fiction any more. Scientists intensely research and create new 3D printing technologies and present new application opportunities almost daily.

“Global statistics show that most intensely 3D printing is used in vehicle industry (about 30 % of products), also for prototype improvement (16 %) and innovations (11 %), to increase productivity (10 %) and to reduce costs (9 %). Lithuanian researchers contribute to development of such technologies by creating new-generation 3D printers and innovative printing materials,” tells Kęstutis Šetkus, Director of Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA).

How Printers ‘Layer’ Things

Doc. Dr. Eugenijus Jurkonis, head of Laboratory of 3D Technologies and Printing in Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU), explains the essence of 3D printing technologies in simple terms: “To make different products, people use certain production technologies. Traditional technologies include such operations as lathing, milling, cutting, carving, etc. 3D printing is an innovative way to manufacture things, enabling conversion of computer model into a real object. It is also known as additive manufacturing, since, in contrast to traditional manufacturing technologies, objects are shaped by adding material layer-upon-layer and not by removing it. So one of advantages of 3D printing is that it only consumes the amount of material, which is necessary for particular product. Another huge advantage of additive manufacturing is that it allows manufacturing objects of most complex geometries.”

According to Ričardas Leščinskas, head of ‘LinkMenų fabrikas’ Prototyping Laboratory in VGTU, 3D printers can be classified as industrial and amateur, they also differ in their principle of operation. “FDM printers create objects by putting layers of plastic filaments. They provide comparatively quick, convenient and cheap printing, but surface of printed objects may need some finishing to make it smoother and finer. Another technology, called stereolithography, works with liquid materials, which are solidified with the help of laser - when touched by laser beam, the material is solidified and thus 3D objects are shaped, layer after layer, in liquid resin. Stereolithographic 3D printing provides accuracy and can be used to produce very organic shapes, and surfaces of printed objects are smoother and of higher quality. This method is more suitable for printing jewelry and other smaller objects. 3D printing devices rapidly improve and get cheaper. A reliable amateur printer can be bought now for only EUR 200-300,” tells R. Leščinskas.

A Faster Amateur Printer Under Development

R. Leščinskas tells that one of applications of 3D printing is fast production of prototypes. “It can be a small sculpture, an decorative detail or a structural element, such as cogwheel for some gearbox or robot, or even mechanical hand for the robot. It also can be a small model of a building or premise, or maybe a sculpture layout,” explains R. Leščinskas.

Currently the engineer designs a new open source FDM printer. “To compare with traditional manufacturing technologies, a shortcoming of 3D printing is slower production. My aim is to design a fast, reliable, stable, cheap and easy to make amateur-level 3D printer, which would be affordable to all the users via open-source platforms,” shares his plan R. Leščinskas.

Improved Printing of Metal Objects

Senior researcher Dr. Genrik Mordas from Department of Laser Technologies in the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) tells that the FTMC is specialized in production of metal details with the help of laser technologies. “We have an industrial 3D printer, which operates according to principles of laser sintering - metal particles are melted till desired metal object is produced. We perform scientific research using this printer. So far, metal printers can make a single element from one type of powder only. But specialist from the FTMC Department of Laser Technologies are constructing innovative 3D printer, which can print a single element using different materials, thereby immediately producing a detail with elements of various materials, e.g., heat exchanger from stainless steel and copper. This would make printing much faster and cheaper to compare with traditional production technologies,” claims G. Mordas.

It is interesting that the largest vehicle manufacturers of the world are already printing engines, and the first pedestrian bridge was printed using stainless steel last year in Amsterdam.

MITA specialists tell that global market of 3D printing technologies amounted to approx. USD 14 billion last year. It is forecasted that by 2022 it will reach as much as USD 23 billion. The specialists believe that by 2025, the first vehicle will be manufactured using a 3D printer, the first transplantation of 3D-printed liver will be performed and about 5 % of consumer goods will be produced with the help of these technologies.

Open research and development network ‘Open R&D Lithuania’, supervised by the MITA, has gathered together state universities, research institutes, science and technology parks and open access centres all over the country to help Lithuanian researchers developing state-of-the-art technologies to meet with domestic and foreign businesses and to promote their cooperation. The largest network of innovation infrastructure, services and competences in the Baltics provides over 2.5 thousand services in the areas of engineering and IT, biomedicine and biotechnologies, materials science, physical and chemical technology, natural resources and agriculture.

To facilitate successful cooperation between business and science, the MITA has founded Contact Centre of the ‘Open R&D Lithuania’ network. It helps business to find suitable competences in research institutions, to find out where necessary services can be ordered and to arrange individual meetings.